Tallulah_B said:yes, I see you have leaves Now, but will they still be there in November?!?!

Yes and there will be the ones from THIS season in November too! That is only one of 3 piles I haul to up into the back woods. I burn the weeds (to control at least some of the next season) and burr plants (Inky's ears in mind). No, never heard of swamp maple. Maples are not the big culprits here though (even though I have many). The oaks drop most heavily and late and leach the soil, and then there is cold hands gutter cleaning too. There was a younger day when I thought a 'cabin in the woods' would be heavenly (some ways I still do ...but bones get creeky over time)

Hi Susan, we travel in our motorhome with all the dogs and the cat! We're planning our vacation right now for October to Napa Valley... our favorite place to go. I love the motorhome because I have my own sheets and bedding, my own bathroom, my own food, and of course, all the pets!

Jamie, your woodland area is so beautiful! I love the autumn leaves. Didn't have any of that when we lived in AZ, but we sure do here in Colorado! One of our maples already has a few bright red leaves... seems a bit early to me, but they are soooo pretty.

When we plan on going to Kananaskis Country we couldn't take our cat - Bear country, and they advise against pets........

Yes, you've got to be careful about that, Susan! We get bears around here sometimes, too... but all my pets are 'inside' pets. Dogs go for walks with us 4 times a day, very old cat stays in. Same when we're in the motorhome.

Thanks Brenda. It IS lovely here, it is just getting harder to take care of it all. The arthritis in my family persists in 'showing up' regardless of my conviction that physical work should ward it off. I have more time than I did while working but still manage to get less done (or at least less quickly).

Enjoy your trip, the Napa valley is SOOo beautiful! Do you see Zuzu when you are there?

Brenda - our cat would slip out, given the chance (she's 13, but very lively and yes, she's an inside cat). She doesn't go far, but I remember when she went under our 16'x19' deck, and there's no way we could get her out until it got cold or she was hungry! If that was the middle of the night, we were "Stuck". I don't want to trust to Providence on any camping trips! I'd be worried the entire time, and would not enjoy myself.
Here, at home, we don't let her out either - there are coyotes in the area and they've been known to prowl our trailer park!

Still going strong.
Regards.
Neil.

beautiful.

Love the petunias, Neil. Will have to try to remember to plant some this winter.

Hugs,

Nancy

Neil, I wish my petunias still looked like that! Lovely!

Susan, no point in adding stress while on vacation! Sounds like your cat has some 'cattitude', LOL!

Jamie, Napa Valley IS so beautiful! I will have to see how close we'll be to Zuzu...

hmmmmm cattitude...... like that! She loves feet, too! As soon as someone (new or familiar) comes into the house, she Has to wrap herself around their feet and start licking (especially in summer with flip flops, etc!)

Dear all, could you use cubits to chat on as I do not want to get in trouble with the powers to be. Unless it is a gardening related subject.
Thank you.
Kindest Regards.
Neil.

Thank you for the reminder, Neil.
Outdoor cats might be ok in the garden (as related to gardening) but you're right - they do not relate to gardening, per se.

I had a break down and just did a major order of different lily bulbs again. I already have nearly 300 daffs, tulips, and hiacynth coming....this was not a good year for the garden timing but I have hope that next year will be.

Too, I think (here) winter here will be relatively mild and short because nuts are small and not nearly as profuse as usual. Like birds know when rain is coming, plants know what winter will bring I think. Rough years there are many more seeds, nuts, wild fruit, and pinecones the fall before.

What's happening in the UK Neil?

We have the beech burrs all over the Am beech tree. I have never seen so many. No damage to the tree while Irene was here. but oh the damage to the western part of the state.

It is strange over here as everything is a month or more early! Everything that can seed has made lots, the berries are profuse as are the nuts as well. The birds have gone mad on the sunflower seeds and the Goldfinches crazy on the thistle seeds. British apples are selling already at very low prices, and my neighbour gave me a pear off his tree the other day! The Pyracantha (Firethorn) hedge up the road from me is just a mass of red berries, so much so that you can hardly see the leaves at all. The Rowans or Mountain Ash trees are also covered in fruit for the birds. That is strange as they are a very hardy tree and are not often put off by changes in the weather. Pluss the berries dont normally ripen til early mid October, and they are ripe now!
It is giving me the feeling of a bad winter and I am not often wrong! Better stock up on my bread making supplies and stuff for soups and casseroles/stews.
Regards.
Neil.

My Viburnum shrub is loaded with berries already turning red. Last year there was hardly any berries and didn'[t notice them with color until I'm thinking October almost Nov. My shrub is telling me early fall/winter. My son said his neighbor (a farmer) claims this will be a snowy winter and lots and lots colder temps. I don't know. He was was saying that when something in his barn does something or other it means a long cold winter with lots of snow............ He said He hasn't even gotten the corn down yet. A bit early for that wouldn't you think?

THE END IS NEAR!

Just a bit of colour I got today from the pub garden to cheer everyone up before the Autumn!
Regards.
Neil.
p.s I got a lot more!

We're supposed to get lots of snow? We had 80" last year, almost twice the usual amount.